Rod-bending machine.



l. N. REYNOLDS.

. HOD BENDING MACHINE.

APPLxcATloN FILED MAY 23, ma.

Patented Aug. 6, 1918.

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J. N. REYNLDS.

HOD BENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mwzs, 191s.

1,274,936. PatentedAug 6,191&

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non-BENDING Meer-Hive.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

PatentedvAug. 6, 1918.

Application'led May 23, 1918. Serial No. 236,154.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JAMES NELSON REYN- 'Y oLDs, a citizen of the United States, .and

a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and improved Rod-Bending Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to rod bending machines of the type intended particularly for use in bending or shaping the reinforcement rods employed in large concrete building constructions.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a machine of the character indicated having facilities for insuring rapidity, facility and uniformity in the bending of an unlimited number of suchy rods. Ac-

cording to the specifications of the building,

havingreference to the height, thickness or other structural details of a wall or the like, the reinforcement rods are required to same character ought to be bent similarly or with uniformity so that the angles or bends will be equal and the lengths or spans between the bends shall likewise be equal, each to each.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine wherebya man having no more than ordinary skill may be able tok direct the operation of a number of boys or unskilled men, and thereby bend an unusually large number of rods in an accurate manner in a given time.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and while the invention is not restricted to the exact details of construction disclosed or suggested herein,

still for the purpose of illustrating a practicaly embodiment thereof reference is had tothe accompanying drawings, in which like ,reference characters designate the same of the adjustable tables and showing also Y an extension member carried thereby; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an implement in the form of an iron gas pipe employed in manipulating the rods.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, I show my machine as comprising a base having front, rear and intermediate longitudinal parallel stringers 10, 11 and 12 respectively, all preferably connected or held in spaced relation to one another by any suitable number of 4 horizontal sleepersA 13 shown in this instance as four in number substantially equally` spaced with respect to one another.

Inthe construction illustrated I provide two supporting orwork holding tables shown at-A and B. Each of these tables may be described as comprising a pedestal and a longitudinally adjustable bed. The pedestal of the table A comprises uprights 14 fixed upon the stringere;V 10 and l2 and a suitable number of diagonal bracesl leading rearward and downward to the stringer 11. The pedestal also includes aftable topY 16 having parallel upwardly projecting ,transversely alined holes 22 formed in the projecting ends of a pair of side rails or Aflanges 17 and 18 constituting guides for ribs 23 constituting the means fixed to the bed for direct coiperation with the lguide members 17 and 18 ofthe table top. vSince the bed 19 is adapted `tovbe adjustedlongitudinally along the table top and within the overhanging flanges 17 and 18 it is pref-I erable for both ends of the ribs 23 to project beyond the adjacentrends of the main portion of the bed and be provided with holes 22 as best shown in Fig. 4. The bar v 21 obviously may be employed at either end of the bed that is most convenient, the purpose of which is tovprevent the longitudinal movement of the bed with 'respect to the table top during vthe operation-of the machine. l

The general construction of the table BA Vis, similar to that of table A but in addition .to its being supportedupon the stringersis so arranged as to be adjusted lengthwise thereon. The uprights 14a rest upon the Stringer 10 andare provided withmbrackets 24 that engage down around the front face of said stringer l0 whereby the'upward or rearward movement of the table B is prevented with respect to the stringer 10. The uprights 14 are supported upon the stringer l2 while one or more horizontal pins 25 pass through the lower ends thereof and an upwardly projecting flange 2G having holes 26. Diagonal braces l5 extend downward and rearward into cooperation with the back stringer ll through which one or more pins 27 are projected, thereby locking the rearmost portion of the table B to an upwardly project-ing flange 28 constituting a part of the stringer ll and provided with horizontal holes 2S. lVhile the table A is fixed to the base of the machine, the adjustment provided for the table B will accommodate the machine to all different lengths or weights of reinforcement rods to be bent, subject to certain other adjustments referred to below. The adjustments,however, in the main are accomplished by other means than the adjustment of the table B.

The bed and table top of table B are practically the saine as the corresponding parts described above in connection with table A and hence bear the same reference characters though as a matter of fact they are not interchangeable, one being right handed and the other left, so to speak.

l will now describe the specific design or construction of the several beds 19 having reference especially to Fig. 4. Each bed is provided adjacent to its inner end, or the end directed toward the opposite bed, with an undercut slot 29 along one edge of which are arranged a series of holes 30 equally distant from the slot. The end of the bed opposite the slotted end is provided with a systematically arranged group of vertical `holes 31 for the accommodation of one or more, preferably aY plurality, of fulcrum pins 32.

The slot 29 is designed to accommodate a gripping device shown best in Figs. 2 and 3, the same comprising a base portion 33 projecting into and adjustable along the slot, but in practice held in place therein by means of a vertical pin 34 projecting down through the front edge of the base 33 and into one of the holes 30. The gripping device includes also a movable jaw member 35 movable forward and Vrearward with respect to the jaw portion of the base member 33 but held from displacement by means of two guide studs 3G fixed in the base and projecting through transverse slots 35 in the movable jaw member. The rear edge of the base 33 constitutesan upwardly projecting flange 37 bearing one or more hexagonal headed set screws or bolts 38 which bearing against the rear edge of the movable member 35 serve to force the same forward toward the fixed jaw and whereby a rod R or the like to be bent may be gripped and held in rigid position while it is being bent.

To the rear portion of the tables are connected a plurality of horizontal rearwardly projecting arms 40 braced with diagonal braces 4l which serve as a shelf for a quantity of rods to be bent in the practice of the invention.

The operation of the machine may be briefly summarized as follows: Given a certain specification of rods to be bent for concrete construction and the supply ofrods being supported upon the shelf a man having one or more unskilled helpers may manipulate the machine for the purpose of bending the rods into as many angles as olesired and with spans according to the speciiications. Each rod in turn will be lifted from the shelf and put upon the two tables, the saine being received between the jaws of the respective gripping devices where it will be held until the ends of the rod are suitably bent. The fulcrum pins 32, the number and location of which in the holes 3l will be determined by the specifications aforesaid, will be fixed according to the uniformity desired for the rods. While the rod is put upon the tables in substantially straight condition the operator at either end thereof will slip upon the free end the iniplement 42, the free end of the rod projecting to any length beyond the implement, and the operator will then apply force to the implement as a lever around the first pin 32 as a fulcrum forming an. angle in alineinent with the central or'main portion of the rod R. He will then slip the tubular lever outward toward or over the end of the rod and apply it as a lever similarly but in the opposite direction bringing the unbent end of the rod around the next fulcrum pin 32 as indicated in Fig. 2. The same operation may be taking place at the opposite end of the rod or the opposite end may be bentfat different angles or spans at the same time by another operator with a similar implement 42. j y

Then a relatively long transverse span r is required for the rod I employ an extension such as indicated at 43 in Fig. 4 the same constituting a rigid arm having a. shoulder 44 around which 'the rod may be bent, the arm 43 being temporarily supported by means of pins 45 dropped into any 120 selected holes 31. If desired 'the otherwise open end of the slot 29 may be closed by means of a rest 46 fixed to the inner end of the bend in any suitable manner and-whereon the rod R may be supported adjacent to the gripping device. This rest serves also to prevent accidental loss of the gripping device from the end of the slot 29. Y

l claim: l

l; lln a rodl bending machine, the combination of a base, a plurality of tables supported thereon, one of the tables being adjustable along the base with respect to the other, each table comprising uprights, a table top supported upon the uprights and a bed supported upon the table top1 a rod holding device comprising relatively fixed and movable jaws carried by each bed, each bed being provided with a group of systematically arranged vertical holes, and a plurality of anchor pins coperating with selective holes of the said group and around which the adjacent end of the rod may be bent in succession by a lever action.

2. In a rod bending machine, the combination of a base, a table supported upon and adjustable endwise along said base for sup- Copies of this patent may be obtained for porting one end of a rod While it is being bent, said table comprising a table to and a bed supported thereon, said bed eing provided With a longitudinal dovetailed slot terminating in the inner end of the bed, a gripping device iitted in and adjustable along said slot and comprising relatively fixed and movable jaws, the end of the bed opposite the gripping device being formed with a group of vertical holes, a plurality of fulcrum pins coperating with selective holes of said group and around which the adjacent end of the rod may be bent in succession by lever action, and means to support the opposite end of the rod While being so bent.

JAMES NELSON REYNOLDS.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, ID. C. 

